After the Storm
by LlamaLover1999
Summary: The Morgensterns and Lightwoods are the most well known families in London, achieving power through blood and lies. Clay doesn't want to be associated with her father's business and so turns to the Lightwood children as an unlikely allie to destroy her father once and for all. In theory Jace should hate Clary, so why does he only see the light after the storm when he's around her?
1. Chapter 1

Fanfiction

Jace :

My feet pounded down on the ground below me, eating up the damp pavement at an alarming rate. I risked a look behind me, smiling as the figure slowed down to a walk catching his breath. I was safe, for now at least. I allowed my body to regain its strength running at a slow jog as I turned the corner onto Fifth Street. I took three lefts and a right making certain that I had lost my pursuer, ducking under an overhang in attempt to keep dry. I reached my apartment in a matter of minutes, unlocking the door and racing up the flight of stairs waving to Hodge the door man on the way. My family the Lightwoods weren't the richest family in the town but they definitely weren't the poorest. They made their money through lies and cheats just like half the people in this miserable excuse of a town, trading and selling illegal weaponry, drugs and just generally anything that would make them a load of cash. I was adopted after both my parents died when I was only four; the Lightwoods took me in and treated me like their own along with their biological children Alec, Izzy and Max.

And just like any family at the top of the hierarchy we had competition. The Mogensterns, led by the father of the family Valentine Morgenstern, with his son Jonathon close behind him. They were arguably the most well-known family around these parts and got their name the same way we did. They had gangs around the whole of London making sure nothing went unnoticed and those who needed monitoring were monitored. Unfortunately I had managed to make that list of people meaning that it was increasingly hard to smuggle anything in or out of the Capitol. I had to constantly keep to the shadows always afraid that any breath could be my last, (I say afraid but what I really mean is, hmmm what's the word… uncertain) of course Alec had the same problem, although he was usually more careful than I. But hey a guy has got to live a little, right? There are girls to kiss, parties to attend and people to piss.

Izzy looked up from her magazine as I came in "Really Jace?"

"What?"

"You ought to be more careful" she looked back down at her magazine apparently already bored.

"Would you mind telling me what you're talking about exactly" I asked confused.

She continued to read, "you've been in a fight", she looked up and motioned to my face. I turned around and stared at my reflection in the nearest mirror, not much had changed I still looked incredibly dashing (if I don't say so myself) although there was a light purple bruise forming across my jaw, which I knew had been left there by that jerk and his gang I had escaped from earlier (again I say escaped when really I mean, mercifully granted them to leave with their faces intact. So modest).

"Don't worry little sis, I won, his face was a lot worse than mine" she snorted and muttered something along the lines of 'whatever you say, blondie'.

"Was it one of Morgenstern's minions again? Or just some guy you managed to piss off?" she asked generally curious for once.

"Morgenstern, I swear that whole family is pure evil, if I had the chance I'd get rid of the lot of them."

"Not all of them are that bad", she said this last comment quietly, afraid of what I might say.

"And which one of them are you referring to precisely?"

"The daughter, Clarissa, you know she's about my age, short, red hair, green eyes-" I cut her off midsentence.

"Yes I know what she looks like Izzy, I almost forgot they belonged to the same family". Clarissa, or Clary as I gather she went by, was not really associated with her father's 'business' and lived in her own flat, got her own money away from the rest of her family.

"Well her name is still Morgenstern and as long as it remains that way, she is one of them. Like father like son, oh wait she's a girl so that doesn't really make sense" I was aware that I had started rambling to myself as Izzy cleared her throat.

"Well I'd keep those thoughts to yourself when we go and see her".

"I'm sorry what?"

"You heard me, we are going to see her" she pronounced each word slowly as if this would make me understand more clearly.

"One small question, why?"

"Because she and I quote 'requests our services' whatever that means I don't know, mum didn't really elaborate."

"Wait mum knows about this?" I was really starting to lose the plot, and was seriously starting to question the purpose of my existence. I was going to work for none other than Clarissa Morgenstern, the daughter of our greatest enemy.

Izzy stood up from her position on the sofa, giving me a look that said 'well duh'.

"When are we going to see her?" I shouted at her retreating form.

"Ten minutes" she smiled sweetly over her shoulder before turning around the corner. I groaned and trudged into my room throwing the door shut behind me. I peeled off my wet clothes before stepping into what had to be the quickest shower of my life. I changed into a white t-shirt and black jeans before tying up my combat boots and throwing on my favourite leather jacket.

Clary:

I paced back and forth in front of my apartment door, looking at the clock every now and then.

"Clary, could you stop you're making me nervous" Simon paused the video game he was playing to look up at me and give me a disapproving look.

"I am nervous, and to be honest you're not really helping with the whole situation" I stopped pacing to give him a look that mirrored his own; he stuck his tongue out at me in return.

"Who exactly is coming again?"

"Izzy, Jace and Alec lightwood"

"Wait, did you say Lightwood, as in _the_ Lightwoods, as in your dad's biggest rival Lightwoods"

"YES Simon, those Lightwoods"

"Interesting" tapping his chin in a typical thinking pose, humming to himself every so often. I sighed and left him to do whatever strange thing he was doing. The doorbell rung loudly making Simon jump out of his seat and stop stroking his imaginary beard. I walked over to the door slowly trying to calm my ever-increasing heartbeat, unlocking it and opening it a crack to check it was definitely them. I concluded it was and opened the door fully allowing the three of them in. They made themselves comfy on the sofa, all except for the one with dark black hair and the bluest eyes I had ever seen who chose to stand near his siblings, I assumed this was Alec. I turned my gaze to the other two on the sofa, the first was obviously Izzy as she was a girl, with the same stark black hair as her brother but with dark chestnut eyes instead of blue. The third had to be Jace with a halo of blonde hair and gold eyes – wait gold was that even possible. He was stunning there was not really any other way to put it. I immediately felt that I should have put more effort into my appearance before they arrived as I was feeling increasingly self-conscious. They all looked at me expectantly, and I shook my head remembering why I had asked them here in the first place.

"I need your help" I managed to splutter out.

Jace smirked, "with life in general or is there something specific we can assist you with". Great he just had to ruin it didn't he, why are all the good looking ones always idiots.

I smiled back at him politely, "funny, I called you here because I know that you all hate my father more than I do and I don't think that I can do this on my own".

"Do what?" Izzy asked as they all leaned forward slightly as if I were about to tell them the best news in the world.

"He's up to something" Jace leaned back and scoffed earning a glare from his sister, "something big, I know he has done terrible things in the past, but nothing like this, this is different."

"So what exactly is this 'something'" Alec asked suspiciously.

"I um, I don't know" I stuttered and looked down.

"So you called us here just to tell us that your dad is up to something, but you don't actually know what this something is" Jace squinted at me as if I he could burn me just with his stare.

"That's what I need your help with, If we could expose this truth than it would take him down for good".

"And why pray tell me should we trust you, I mean why would you want to ruin your own father" I looked away as I felt the onslaught of memories start to rise to the surface, I squeezed my eyes shut and forced them back down clenching my fists, my whole body shaking with the effort to not let my emotions take over my body. Fully aware that I probably looked like I was having some sort of stroke I turned back and opened my eyes hoping they couldn't see through me to what lay beneath.

"That is of none of your concern" I said surprisingly calmly, effectively closing the subject, "So will you help me".

Izzy stood up stretching he arms over her head, "well I say yes, I mean what other opportunity will we get to take the old geezer down? Nice to meet you Clary and err" she looked at Simon who I had almost forgotten was here. Simon blushed a deep shade of red, "Simon" I filled in for him. Izzy nodded before leaving without another word followed by her two brothers. I face planted into the sofa as soon as the door closed.

"Well that was…" Simon fumbled for the right word.

"intense" I finished for him.


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I own nothing_

Chapter 2

Jace:

"You could try being, oh I don't know, _nice_ for a change!" we had barely stepped through the front door and Izzy was already giving me a headache.

Maryse poked her head around the kitchen door picking up on our conversation, "Oh hey, how did it go? Did you agree to help her? She seems alright, right?" and here comes the migraine.

"Well Jace already managed to get on her bad side" she said putting her hands on her hip and raising her eyebrows at me.

I put my hands up in surrender, "Hey don't get me wrong I thought her _side_ was rather nice" this earned me a pillow in the face from a rather red Izzy. Alec just stood at the side with a small smile on his face, apparently amused with the whole performance. Maryse through her hands up in defeat and turned back to the kitchen muttering something about teenagers.

"Please promise me you will not seduce this poor girl into one of your fangirls" Izzy whined.

"Izzy give the girl some credit do you really think she'd go that low. Besides didn't she have a boyfriend, what was his name? Sherwin or something?" Alec decided to speak up.

"I think his name was Salmon, and what do you mean exactly by 'go that low'? I'm taking it you meant in the sense that she would get down and" at this point Max the youngest Lightwood had just walked into the room.

"JACE!" Izzy slapped me on the arm (not all too softly I will point out) "Would you keep your disgusting thoughts to yourself. And it was Simon, jeez am I the only one who pays any attention around here."

Alec snorted in response, "It's only because you think he's cute".

Izzy all but looked like someone had just slapped her across the face, "Dear god no, well I guess maybe in a slightly dorky kind of way. But no absolutely not, he's definitely not my kind of type."

I made a gagging noise and Alec chuckled (now I will point out that Alec rarely smiles let alone chuckles, so this was a very strange occurrence) I gave him a questioning look but he just waved me away, "Well please excuse me while I go throw up what's left of my lunch" I walked into my bedroom realising that I was incredibly tired all of a sudden. Well today had been a tiring day, with the run-in with that gang and then the visit with Clary. I had expected her to be different, I don't know how just… different. I thought she would be stuck up and arrogant like her father, but she was the opposite. Perhaps one of the most generally human people I have ever met, and believe me in my line of work you don't meet many normal people. Urgh, what was I even talking about, I had only met her for five minutes and I was acting like I'd known her my whole life, what was happening to me. I never gave any other girl a second thought, just use and manipulate them and then leave them the next day. But here I was giving Clary Morgenstern at least a minute of my brains precious time.

I must have fallen asleep because I woke to someone thumping on my door shouting at me to "get the hell up or so god help me I will come in there and wake you up myself!" I groaned and rolled over falling ungracefully onto the floor in time to see Izzy throw open the door with a hand over her eyes.

"Jace I'm just letting you know now that if you have no pants on when I uncover my eyes I will scream"

"Relax, Iz I'm decent" She uncovered eyes sighing in relief.

"Well mum said she called you for dinner ages ago and you didn't respond. We were beginning to wonder if you had passed out or something."

"I fell asleep. I must be getting old, soon I'll have to be taking daily naps and you'll have to push me around in a wheel chair." I gave her my best smirk.

"Just come and eat will you"

"I'm not hungry", I looked down not wanting to meet her stare and have her lecture me on the importance of food.

"Jace, you say that every day. You have to eat or you'll start fading away and then I really will have to push you around in a wheel chair. And as much as I love you I really don't want to spend my whole life …" I started to tune her out nodding my head every now and then so she thought I was listening. It was always the same story; you have to eat Jace bla bla bla, Why don't you want to eat bla bla bla. The truth is it wasn't the food that bothered me. It was sitting around the table with the rest of the family. I know they thought of me as their son, to them it didn't matter that I shared different DNA or that their blood didn't run through my veins. But sometimes I felt as though I was intruding, that they needed some time to themselves without me. I know this sounded really stupid but that's how I felt, I didn't deserve them, any of them and this was my small way of almost justifying the goodness they showed me.

"So are you coming or do I need to come over there and drag you out" Izzy stood by the foot of my bed apparently finished with her little rant.

I decided to give in this time and follow her into the kitchen were Max and Alec were finishing off their plates, Maryse was washing up plates in the sink and smiled as I entered. I sat down and picked food of the plate laid out for me.

"Is dad not home yet?" Izzy asked.

"No, he was meant to be back a little while ago, I'm sure it's nothing" she frowned letting me know that despite what she said she was worried. At that moment a loud crash echoed throughout the house coming from the front door. We all looked up at the same time and practically flew down the stairs. There in the doorway covered in blood and glass was a very angry looking Robert. Max was the last to reach the crime scene and threw himself down last steps smacking right into Alec who swore in surprise falling on top of Izzy. It would have been funny if it weren't for the circumstances. Max got up and brushed himself off before looking at his father lying crippled on the floor, all of the blood drained from his face instantly and the smile on his face quickly turned into a grimace.

"Get him upstairs Izzy" Marys snapped out of her daze and started giving orders. Izzy silently obeyed dragging a scarily quiet Max up the stairs.

"Jace, Alec, help me get him into the kitchen" we hauled him up earning a grunt of pain from Robert. Thank god he's alive, just about anyway. Once in the kitchen Maryse swept everything onto the floor smashing two plates and a glass in the process, we pulled him up onto the table and unbuttoned his shirt revealing two wounds, one to just above his gut and another to the shoulder. I soaked a cloth and started cleaning the blood off his chest, whilst Alec cleaned the wounds with disinfectant.

"They look like stab wounds" Alec spoke through clenched teeth.

"Good that means there aren't any bullets lodged anywhere" I had cleaned most the blood of now and he didn't look as bad as before.

Maryse came back in the medical kit and took out a needle and thread, "He's lost a lot of blood, I don't know if he's going to make it."

Izzy came back in the room taking one of the needles and starting on his shoulder stab, while Maryse sew up the worse of the two. Nobody spoke a word, concentration etched onto everyone's faces. Once everything that could be done was done, Robert was taken to his room and laid to rest on his bed.

"Do you think he is going to be okay" Izzy looked up at me, unshed tires in her eyes. I wanted to put my arms around her and tell her everything would be okay like any older brother should. But in truth I didn't know the answer to her question. Instead I settled for putting a hand on her shoulder, "He's a fighter Iz, I'm sure he won't give up on this battle to easily" I smiled at her knowing that she didn't completely believe me.

"What do you think happened to him?" she asked, still not letting any tears fall.

"I don't know" but I think I did, the Morgenstern gangs had been getting a lot more agitated lately not taking any chances. And after what Clary had told us I knew that something was up, they obviously wanted Robert out of the way but why. Many members of our patrol had died on a mission or just out walking in the streets. But what could have driven them to try and kill _him_? I mean Robert had gotten into a lot of fights before, once even with Valentine himself, but not once had they tried to kill him. No, that would result in an all-out war between our two families, and Valentine didn't want that, no matter how powerful he thought he was, he wasn't stupid. So what could have possessed him to finally do it? My hands curled into fists, whatever was happening, Valentine would not get away with this. That was for certain.


	3. Chapter 3

_Did you know that Dilly Dallying doesn't come up as an incorrect spelling on Microsoft Word. Weird!_

_I own nothing_

Chapter 3:

Clary

I looked up from my sketchbook as my phone started blaring 'Girls, who run the world? Girls.'

"Really Clary? You know I never took you as a Beyoncé kind of girl."

"Shut up Lewis" I stuck my tongue out at him as I made my way over to my phone and picked up the call.

"Clary?"

"Umm, yes this is she. Who is this?"

"Oh right sorry, it's Jace. You know the tall, blonde, insanely hot guy you met yesterday." I could almost see the smirk on his face.

"Hmm, let me think. No doesn't ring any bells. I do remember a hot guy coming to my house the other day, but he had black hair and blue eyes." Simon frowned and cocked his head looking puzzled at what I'd just said. I mouthed the words Jace and pointed to the phone in my hand, he shrugged and went back to watching the TV.

"Seriously, you think my brother is hotter than me. That hurts Red, I think my ego just deflated slightly."

"Red, because that is so original. I expected more of you Lightwood."

"What would you prefer I call you? Gingerbread, Red hot chilli pepper or just plain old ginger ninja."

"How about Clary, which is my actual name. Anyway is there any particular reason you called or was it just to tell me that you plan on calling me an array of red-head related nicknames in the near future?"

"Yes I was ringing to tell you that my father, Robert has been shot. And after what you said yesterday I'm pretty sure it was by one of your dad's little soldiers." I wasn't really sure how to respond to this and all that came out was a small "Oh".

"Oh indeed. He is still passed out at the moment but is breathing, which I'm pretty sure is a good sign. I just thought that I'd let you know, the more information the better right."

"Yeh, I guess so" I wasn't entirely sure why he was telling me this but in a sense he was right. I had no leads as to what my father was doing and I didn't know how to go about finding out, which is essentially why I went to the Lightwoods in the first place. But whatever it is, he didn't want Robert to find out (which obviously isn't surprising). But was he so worried he had to kill him?

"Was it definitely Valentine?" I asked.

"I can't be completely certain but I don't know who else it could have been. I think that Robert may have found out about something Valentine did."

"Yes, that would explain why he would go to such lengths as to kill him"

"_Attempt_ to kill" Jace corrected me. I didn't know how to go on from here so I just stayed silent, hoping that Jace would speak up.

"Well best be off, can't waste any more time dilly dallying. Adios" and with that he hung up without so much as a bye on my part. I was still trying to get grip on the fact that Jace Lightwood had just said dilly dallying.

"What was that all about?" Simon asked

"His dad Robert has been attacked, Jace thinks it was on Valentines orders"

"Is that what you think?"

"Well I wouldn't put it past him, he's done it before. I need to get more information Si, I just don't know how. He doesn't trust me so how am I going to find anything out." I really hadn't thought this through, how could I think that a bunch of teenagers could obtain information belonging to the richest, crude, most powerful man in London.

"Maybe it's time you started behaving like daddies little girl again" he scrunched his lips together and raised his eyebrows at me.

"As much as I hate to admit it, that's not the worst idea ever." I flopped back down on the sofa, closing my eyes. I didn't know if I could go back to him after what happened. I hadn't seen in him in months, just occasionally getting a phone call letting me know he would be out of the country for a while. Jonathon came over maybe once a week to say hi which was something I guess, at least he hadn't completely turned over to the dark side.

"I'm going out" I declared picking up my jacket and putting my converse on.

"Do you want me to come with you?" I smiled but declined his offer. As much as I loved Simon I wanted to go alone, he very rarely came with me on this particular outing.

It was quite a long way, but I had a lot to think about so I decided to walk. I didn't know if I would be able to convince my dad that I had forgiven him and moved on, I wasn't the best actor and it would take all I had to see him without punching that arrogant smile of his ugly excuse of a face. I had never hated anyone before my father. Never realised how strong of an emotion it really was. When you hate someone you don't do it half-heartedly, hate takes up every ounce of your being until there is nothing left but white hot rage. It consumes you and changes you, for the better or worse I don't know. I just know that I could never forgive him for what he did, John may pretend to be ok with it but I see it in his face every time he visits. He doesn't live anymore and his smiles are never genuine just forced, like he's dying on the inside. I think he hates himself for staying more than anything. I remember around a year ago we were sitting on a bench in the park next to our old house. It was the park we used to walk through every day after school when we were younger and we had made it a tradition no matter rain or snow to go there and sit on that bench that we had carved out names into and eat ice-cream once a month. He looked out across the park staring intently at something in the distance and said "You made the right decision you know", I looked up confused waiting for him to continue. He looked at me, "about leaving I mean." I understood what he meant; the expression on his face was one of complete defeat.

"You could leave to, it's not too late. You'd be welcome to come and stay with me and Simon for a while." He sighed and after a long pause finally answered me.

"I can't. I wish I could. Every day I regret not leaving him, but now I have no choice." He gave me a small sad smile that almost broke my heart, "I got in too deep little sis, and now there's no way out." He put his head in his hand and breathed out through his fingers, "I'm stuck with him" he sighed deeply sliding his hands into his hair and pulling tightly. I laid my hand on his shoulder, "John" he looked up at me with nothing but remorse in his pit black eyes. I put my arms around his back and hugged him; I felt his arms slip around my stomach as he returned the hug. "It's going to be ok, we'll figure it out" I whispered to him, although I didn't know at the time if that was the truth or not. I shook my head as I came out of my dream and back to the present.

I looked up to see the great looming black gates of Hampstead Cemetery. I walked through, taking the familiar path to my final destination. Graveyards had always creeped the hell out of me when I was younger, but I had been here so many times that all I felt now was sadness. It was a strangely sunny day for England, in complete contrast to what I was feeling. I reached the familiar headstones and sat down in the grass between the two. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, willing myself not to cry.

"Hi, mum" I spoke to the grave on my right, "I miss you, you know. Every day. Today more than ever. I'm lost mum, lost in the maze that is my life, and I'm afraid there's no way out, that I'll wonder these paths for all of eternity and never escape." I felt a single tear slip down my cheek, "Why did you have to leave? You should have stayed, for me if nothing else." I wiped the tears from my eyes, my voice becoming more pleading by the second, "What did you do to finally make him snap, what could have been so bad that he would do what he did?" I was so sick of all the lies, my whole life I was lied to, never knowing what to believe. You know, almost the worst part is that nobody knows. No one outside of Valentines circle found out about her death. He covered it up pretty well, saying that she was terminally ill and restricted to bed rest. "Did you know? Is that why he did it? Did you find out the one thing he is scared of people finding out?" if that was the case did I want to know? Would I end up like my mother, six feet under the earth? No I needed to know; he has hurt too many people, taken too many lives and destroyed so many dreams. This had to end. "I'll find out mum, whatever it takes". With that I got up, brushing off my legs, looking back at the headstone one last time. Written on it was her name 'Jocelyn Fray' , no one would even know that she was the same person as Jocelyn Morgenstern, but I liked this better without any attachments to him. I kissed the stone and looked at the name on the grave besides hers; it belonged to 'Luke Garroway'. I frowned, why did that name seem familiar, I vaguely remember him being associated to my father in some way. I shrugged it off assuming it was nothing and started the long walk back home. It was time for some answers, I didn't really want to see my dad unless it was absolutely necessary, but there was someone I could call, whether I could trust him with this I wasn't sure, but I didn't really have any other choice, he picked up on the third ring, "Sebastian, I need your help."

_Please, please review if you would like this story to carry on._

_xxx_


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